As part of a brand-new series at Monaco Life, Richard McCreery gets behind the wheel of the all-electric Alpine A290 to see if this compact city car has the right balance of looks and specs for day-to-day driving in a place like the Principality.
The French sports car marque Alpine has enjoyed a long relationship with Monaco. In 1973, the Alpine A110 1800 took first, second, third, fifth and sixth in the Monte-Carlo Rally, securing a place in the history books for the brand.
The launch of the new Alpine A110 in 2017 further cemented the carmaker’s reputation for speed, agility and lightness, as they managed to create one of the best sports cars on sale in the world today.
Fast forward to 2025, and Alpine has added a second car to its range: the all-electric A290. It is, however, nothing like the cars of the past.
That doesn’t mean it’s not a good car. In fact, for many people, the new Alpine A290 could be the perfect city runabout—especially in Monaco, where the winding streets can be quite narrow and car park entrances are always filled with various shades of expensive metallic paint. While the fashionable runabouts of choice for Monaco residents might be a Mercedes G-Wagen or a Land Rover Defender, the A290 might have quite a few aces up its sleeve for those who prefer to avoid the stress of driving something the size of a truck.
It was also just awarded European Car of the Year.
In its relatively small package, it contains a few features that are actually quite desirable. Its looks are both modern and retro, resembling a version of the original Renault 5 from the 1980s, albeit significantly enhanced.
The layout of the four headlights mimics the Alpines of old, and there are several nice details, such as the French tricolore badges and the Alpine-blue strip running across the top of the windows. Anyone who appreciates a luxury product knows that little details can make all the difference.
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Inside, the cabin is a step up from the car it is based on, the electric Renault 5. The steering wheel is almost a work of art, with its beautiful blue dial for adjusting the braking regeneration level and a small red button for an extra overtaking boost—the EV equivalent of the NOS seen in the Fast & Furious films. There is also a circular button for toggling between driving modes, perfectly placed so you can switch into Sport mode without taking your hands off the wheel or your eyes off the road.
Elsewhere, the dashboard is swathed in stitched leather, the seats are comfortable without being too sporty, there are physical switches for the air conditioning (thankfully), and the screen is relatively easy to use. The infotainment system offers serious drivers live telemetric data about how the car is performing and even provides coaching tips to improve driving. The battery will take you up to 380km before it needs charging, assuming you drive conservatively. But even if you have a heavy right foot, it’s good to know that it will go from 15% charge to 80% in just 30 minutes—enough time for a coffee and a croissant!
The A290 is more than nippy when you put your foot down—it has more power than the standard R5—and its relatively small size makes it more usable than most of the wide, powerful cars driven around the Principality. You sit quite high up, so you don’t feel too intimidated by larger vehicles, and the steering is light but accurate.
Prices start at under €37,000 and rise to €44,000, depending on the spec you choose, which makes it good value for something that is surprisingly desirable.
What’s more, this is a car that you’ll want to drive as often as possible. Not only is it relatively practical, nice to look at inside and out, and almost luxurious, it is clearly aimed at people who enjoy being behind the wheel. It will appeal to the owners of Ferraris and Porsches, as well as to the owners of Range Rovers, Bentleys and other large SUVs.
Which other car offers the same combination of retro style, a plush interior and properly sporty dynamics in a small, eco-friendly package? Maybe the MINI, but that design has been around for over 20 years. If you’re looking for a fresh, stylish city car for zipping around town, perhaps it’s time to try something distinctly more Gallic.
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Main photo source: Renault